Newspaper journalist
Newspaper journalists research and write stories for national, regional and local press. As well as news and politics, they report on sports, arts and culture, science and business. They also cover national and local events, entertainment and human interest stories.
Traditionally, junior reporters write up stories allocated to them by the news desk. They pass these to the news editor who in turn hands them to sub-editors. Other roles include correspondents, who are specialists in one field or location, and feature writers, who cover topics in greater depth, often using a more personal style.
On smaller newspapers many journalists have to multitask; they may work on layout, photography and sub-editing as well as stories. Newspaper journalism is becoming increasingly 'multi-platform', making IT, web and broadcast skills highly valued.
Tasks include:
This area of work is open to graduates of any discipline but an undergraduate degree in journalism, English or writing may improve your chances. However, some editors may be more interested in graduates with a specialist degree subject, such as economics or science.
Experience and personal qualities are also considered extremely important.
Entry without a degree, HND or foundation degree is possible but is becoming increasingly difficult. More than 60% of new entrants to the newspaper journalism industry are graduates.
Graduates can choose from several pre-entry routes into newspaper journalism. There are full-time, one-year postgraduate courses, which result in a postgraduate diploma or Masters degree. There are also fast-track, 18 to 20-week postgraduate courses. Students should check that their courses will be well regarded by potential employers.
Courses accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) are generally highly regarded and will usually include your preliminary NCTJ examinations. In 2010 the NCTJ replaced the old Certificate in Journalism with the new Diploma in Journalism, in order to better reflect the multimedia environment of modern journalism. The diploma includes mandatory modules on reporting, public affairs and government, essential media law, and shorthand. Students also need to take a minimum of two subsidiary modules in areas such as sports journalism and media law court reporting and provide a portfolio (logbook) of work. You must pass the Diploma in Journalism in order to sit the National Certificate Examination (NCE), which you would take once you have been in employment for 18 months.
The NCTJ also runs distance-learning courses in newspaper and magazine journalism. The Newspaper Society lists NCTJ-accredited courses and local newspaper web addresses on its website.
Entry with an HND or foundation degree is possible if you have relevant skills and experience. Some foundation degrees in journalism are recognised by the NCTJ, including the 17-week foundation course in journalism from Press Association Training .
Direct entry, whereby individuals are recruited by newspapers onto a two-year training contract, is possible but increasingly rare.
Entry with a postgraduate degree is possible, especially if it is NCTJ-accredited or includes relevant work experience. Postgraduate students from subjects not related to journalism will still have to gain experience and writing skills and may need to consider a relevant pre-entry course in journalism.
Potential candidates will need to show evidence of the following:
A 2011 NCTJ survey found that editors considered the 'traditional' skills of writing, finding news stories, interviewing and legal knowledge to be the most important; newer skills, such as web editing and using social media, were seen as useful but not vital.
Competition for the limited graduate trainee places with large newspaper groups and national newspapers is extremely fierce. Programmes vary from year to year and details may not be widely circulated, as editors rely on candidates to take the initiative to research opportunities. This is particularly true in times of recession and reduced staff numbers.
You will need a good record of relevant work experience, accompanied by a professional file of cuttings (samples of your published writing). Take every opportunity to write articles and reviews for local, free, national or specialist publications, especially if you get a byline (your name above the story). Get involved in student newspapers and try to build up a network of sources.
Join the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) as a student and keep an eye on publications such as MediaGuardian or Press Gazette for work experience opportunities. Contact local newspapers and ask for work experience. June and July are the busiest times, so be proactive and try approaching publications at other times of the year too. Do not despair at rejections; editors appreciate and respect persistence and the desire to succeed.
Initiatives such as the NUJ's George Viner Memorial Fund aim to support black and Asian students through training. The Journalism Diversity Fund supports the training of journalists from ethnically and socially diverse backgrounds onto NCTJ-accredited courses. The Society of Editors also has a campaign backed by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). The Guardian Media Group's The Scott Trust Bursary Scheme offers bursaries to ten postgraduate students each year.
For more information, see work experience and internships and search courses and research.
After an initial probationary period, many trainee reporters follow basic journalism training under the terms of a training contract, usually lasting up to 18 months. All trainee journalists must pass preliminary examinations to be eligible to sit the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) National Certificate Examination (NCE), the professional qualification for senior newspaper journalists.
Entry requirements for the NCE include:
The NCE comprises four sections:
There are also other NCEs for photographers, sub-editors and sports reporters.
Trainees with large newspaper groups and national newspapers may also receive structured training in reporting, writing, proofreading, sub-editing, layout, and design and production.
Smaller newspapers may not be able to provide training opportunities in these areas to the same extent. Courses run by the NCTJ are recognised in the industry and can lead to a variety of further qualifications, including NVQ/SVQs. The National Union of Journalists' NUJ Training also offers a range of training courses.
Most journalists start on local or regional newspapers. After a few years as a general reporter, many people move on to become senior or chief reporters, or specialist writers of some kind, such as regional or topic-specific correspondents, or feature writers.
Other career options include moving into news management by joining the news desk, moving into production or working on page layout and headlines as a sub-editor. It may also be possible to move overseas as a foreign correspondent, where knowledge of the language and culture is essential.
Career development depends on performance and initiative. The skills learned on a local or regional newspaper, or through a training scheme, are relevant to reporting in all media and there is more movement from newspapers to other types of journalism than vice versa. Learning extra skills that enable multitasking, such as video skills or web design, can be a good way to progress in your career.
A 2009 report by Creative Skillset: The Sector Skills Council for the Creative Industries looked at the skills required for convergence journalism, where print meets online and broadcast. The report stated that almost three-quarters of employers think there is a skills gap among graduates entering journalism. The most frequently mentioned gaps were in video skills, writing for search optimisation and multi-platforms, assembling news bulletins and audiovisual packages, and using the Freedom of Information Act. Acquiring extra skills, above and beyond those of a newspaper, will help you to advance into other areas and make you more attractive to employers.
Many senior journalists and correspondents work freelance across print, broadcast and online journalism. Both radio and television offer newspaper journalists off-screen opportunities as researchers, writers and production assistants on the reporting or editing side of news programmes. Web publishing, in the forms of 'rolling blogs' or uploading news to the web 'as it happens', instead of waiting for daily or weekly paper deadlines, is becoming increasingly important to UK newspapers.
Employees in news agencies can sometimes enter directly as trainees, but it is more common to start in newspapers and then move to agency work. Working for an agency can provide experience in a range of different media, as agency reporters may provide tapes for local radio, features for magazines and news items for national daily newspapers and digital media providers. Because of the range of work available, this can be a good stepping stone to freelance work. Agency work tends to suit more experienced reporters, who have already built up an extensive list of contacts and are able to fight their corner to find the exclusive angle that will make a publication want to buy their story.
UK newspapers provide a significant employment market for journalists. Many titles are owned by large newspaper groups at international, national or regional level, such as:
Recent years have seen many takeovers and acquisitions. For the latest facts and figures, and lists of daily and weekly newspapers within the UK, check the Newspaper Society or Media UK .
Independent press agencies, also known as news wires, supply general interest or specialist news, features or pictures to news media. There are several leading press agencies, including:
For more details see the National Association of Press Agencies .
Print titles are currently struggling and, in reaction, many newspapers are turning their attention to the growth of online journalism, where news is uploaded 'as it happens'.
The media and publishing and marketing, advertising and PR sectors may also provide useful employer information.
Jobs may be advertised via the head office of a regional group or by individual newspapers. Some newspapers rely solely on speculative applications to the editor and never advertise vacancies.
Get tips on job hunting, CVs and covering letters and interviews.
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